pitchers related to pots?

[calek]

Hey everybody!

I was just wondering,

Is the size of the pitchers of Nepenthes, changed by the size pots?

All of the Nepenthes with nice big chunky pitchers that i have seen are in big pots, mine is in a tiny pot and well... The pitchers and the plant are tiny.

Just wondering...

Oh yea... also when do the flowers of Nepenthes come out? If i Want my plant to live I have to cut the flower of ...right?

Well thanks and bye everybody!

[LJ]

I would think the size of pitchers relates to the age/size of the plant more than the size of the pot. Bigger and older neps will require bigger pots so choose the pot size depending on the size of the plant.

Not sure what age or how big neps have to be to flower though, mine are still too small for that. I dont think letting them flower will harm the plant though, prob takes a fair bit of energy but shouldnt kill the plant

Heather

[calek]

I would think the size of pitchers relates to the age/size of the plant more than the size of the pot. Bigger and older neps will require bigger pots so choose the pot size depending on the size of the plant.

Not sure what age or how big neps have to be to flower though, mine are still too small for that. I dont think letting them flower will harm the plant though, prob takes a fair bit of energy but shouldn't kill the plant

Heather

Thanks a lot!

From what I read it has to be a really healthy plant to survive flowering, but I really am not sure.

Thanks anyway!!!

[calek]

I would think the size of pitchers relates to the age/size of the plant more than the size of the pot. Bigger and older neps will require bigger pots so choose the pot size depending on the size of the plant.

Not sure what age or how big neps have to be to flower though, mine are still too small for that. I dont think letting them flower will harm the plant though, prob takes a fair bit of energy but shouldn't kill the plant

Heather

Thanks a lot!

From what I read it has to be a really healthy plant to survive flowering, but I really am not sure.

Thanks anyway!!!

[Derek]

Hi,

I definately find that bigger pots mean bigger pitchers. This is not to say that you can't have decent pitchers with a small pot. I was once growing 2 large eymaes. Both were about 450 mm across. One I re-potted into a massive pot and within 6 weeks it was nearly twice the size. And yes, the media was the same and the pots stood side by side. I have had similar experiences with several neps now. Of course, there are a host of other factors to take into consideration but I do believe it has something at least to do with size. When the pots are large, I would use pond nets so you don't get any stagnation in the pot and air can get in.

Derek.

[rsivertsen]

I wondered that myself in my younger years, but then noticed the healthy Nepenthes growing at Longwood Gardens that were in 6 inch baskets with massive pitchers.

Over potting is a big mistake as the compost medium can sometimes become anaerobic and decay into rotting compost, which produces toxic substances that kill the roots, and eventually the plants. It also invites parasitic fungi which causes stem rot. The epiphytic species seem to require the least amount of root space while terrestrial and lowland plants like N. bical will fill a 12 inch pot with roots if the plant is healthy and growing well. The best plants are very often root bound with roots crawling out from the bottom of the pot. When you look at how they grow in their natural habitat, you may notice them growing in the cracks and crevices of large rocks as lithophytes, or in just a handful of mossy detritus and leaf debris hanging from the canopy. - Rich

[Amar]

I would think the size of pitchers relates to the age/size of the plant more than the size of the pot. Bigger and older neps will require bigger pots so choose the pot size depending on the size of the plant.

Not sure what age or how big neps have to be to flower though, mine are still too small for that. I dont think letting them flower will harm the plant though, prob takes a fair bit of energy but shouldnt kill the plant

Heather

Just think if that would happen to us! Thank God we don't die once our 'flowers' grow.

Edited May 19, 2009 by Amar

[calek]

Hi,

I definately find that bigger pots mean bigger pitchers. This is not to say that you can't have decent pitchers with a small pot. I was once growing 2 large eymaes. Both were about 450 mm across. One I re-potted into a massive pot and within 6 weeks it was nearly twice the size. And yes, the media was the same and the pots stood side by side. I have had similar experiences with several neps now. Of course, there are a host of other factors to take into consideration but I do believe it has something at least to do with size. When the pots are large, I would use pond nets so you don't get any stagnation in the pot and air can get in.

Derek.

Thanks a ton!

I will try to find a nice big pot in my house and put my Nepenthes in it!

[calek]

Just think if that would happen to us! Thank God we don't die once our 'flowers' grow.

if we did die once our flowers grow, god knows what surgeries would be taking place at the moment! Yeah...well we are lucky we don't die once they grow.

[Dave Evans]

I wondered that myself in my younger years, but then noticed the healthy Nepenthes growing at Longwood Gardens that were in 6 inch baskets with massive pitchers.

Over potting is a big mistake as the compost medium can sometimes become anaerobic and decay into rotting compost, which produces toxic substances that kill the roots, and eventually the plants. It also invites parasitic fungi which causes stem rot.

Ah, another Nepenthes-myth to dispute. I don't think you can over pot a Nepenthes, but you sure can keep the soil too wet with too little air flow and rot the plant. You can do this to any size plant in just about any size pot. If you grow your Nepenthes in very humid air, they will not need as many roots and a small root system and maintain a rather large plant without drying the soil between waterings. If this is the case (very high humidity) and you put a plant in a much larger pot, the plant might not be able to remove enough water from the soil in time for air to enter and prevent rotting--it is not directly related to the size of the pot, but your overall conditions.

If the soil is too dense for use in large pots, change it by adding more perlite or some other material which increases airflow. Some folks use white foam packing peanuts in the bottoms of pots to create the same effect. I'm sure there are plenty of other methods useful for making large pots safe for smaller Nep's. Also, I never pack or squeeze the soil into a pot--Nepenthes hate dense soil.

Also, small pitchers usually indicate the light level the plant is receiving is a little too weak. How is the coloration of your plants?

Edited June 14, 2009 by Dave Evans